Soap actor Justin Bruening cast in back-door pilot

As it did 20-some years ago, NBC has turned to daytime soaps to find its new "Knight Rider."

The network has cast Justin Bruening ("All My Children") as the lead character in its updated "Knight Rider," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project, executive produced by Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity," "Mr. and Mrs. Smith"), will air as a movie/back-door pilot later this season.

The new "Knight Rider" will follow the same premise as its predecessor: Guy fights crime with the help of a supercar. The new version, however, will also take some cues from "Transformers," meaning viewers should probably prepare for a shape-shifting KITT.

Bruening, a regular on "All My Children" since 2003, will play the son of Michael Knight (he had a son?) in the movie, which Dave Andron ("Raines") is writing and Steve Shill ("The Kill Point," "Dexter") will direct. Liman and Dave Bartis will serve as exec producers.

Bruening's route to the "Knight Rider" remake parallels that of David Hasselhoff, who was an actor on "The Young and the Restless" prior to getting the role that catapulted him to prime-time stardom. In addition to his time on "All My Children," Bruening has also appeared on "One Life To Live" and guest-starred on "Cold Case" and "Hope & Faith."